ROCKHOUNDS: Starters continuing to go deep into games

Published 2:29 pm, Monday, June 2, 2014

The Midland RockHounds starting pitchers have been “eating” up some innings over the last two weeks.

Only once during the most recent 12-game stretch, both on the road and at home, have the RockHounds used more than two relief pitchers in a game, and in only two of those games has a starter pitched less than five innings.

Beginning with Andrew Werner’s eight innings on May 21 in a 5-2 loss to the Cardinals, the RockHounds, who begin a four-game series against Corpus Christi at 6:30 p.m. today at Security Bank Ballpark, have had a starter go at least seven innings in six of those 12 games.

Not all of those solid starts have led to victories as the RockHounds lost four games when the starter went at least seven innings.

Nate Long won both of his starts over the last two weeks and Shawn Haviland is 1-1 in his last two games and pitched 15 2/3 innings. Long is 5-1 this season with a 3.00 earned run average, and has been one of the RockHounds most consistent starters this season.

TRYING TO STAY IN THE RACE

The RockHounds embarked on last week’s road trip to Springfield and Tulsa with an opportunity to close the gap on Frisco in race for the Texas League South Division first half title.

But after a 2-4 road trip to those two cities, the RockHounds are now in a dogfight just to stay in second. Midland began the six-game road trip three back of Frisco and solidly in second place in the division.

Midland is now 4 1/2 games behind Frisco and tied for second with Corpus Christi and San Antonio.

The Missions have gotten hot of late and won seven of their last 10, while both Midland and Corpus Christi have below .500 records over their last 10 games.

The RockHounds have 14 games remaining in the first half, and will play six games against Frisco over the next two weeks to end the first half. The first half will end on June 16 when the RockHounds take on the RoughRiders at Security Bank Ballpark.

Frisco, though, had a game canceled in its recent series against Tulsa and has only played 55 instead of 56.

It remains to be seen whether that one game could make a difference in the pennant race.

PITCHING MATCHUPS

Here’s a quick glance at this week’s pitching matchups for the RockHounds against the Hooks.

Max Muncy has reached base in 19 straight games and is hitting .344 in that same stretch. He is currently fifth in the Texas League in hitting at .304 and has a .424 on-base percentage. ... RockHounds outfielder/first baseman Josh Whitaker is second in the Texas League in batting average entering this week’s home stand. Whitaker is hitting .325 and is tied for the league lead in RBI with 36. Whitaker is tied in that category with Corpus Christi’s Preston Tucker. ... Today the RockHounds will be offering a two tickets for the price of one. Fans can go by any area Baskin Robbins to pick up a voucher that can be exchanged on Tuesday. On Friday, the first 1,000 kids ages 14-and-under will receive a RockHounds jersey.